Tekla Research donates $130,000 to fund WBU’s produce operations

Eagle Farms at Williams Baptist University will expand its produce operation, thanks to a gift from Tekla Research and families involved with the company. The $130,000 gift will fund the Kevin Wilcutt Memorial Garden, named in memory of a late president and chief operating officer at Tekla.

Tekla Research CEO Beth West and Board Chair Dave Russell, both of Jonesboro, recently presented the gift to Williams President Dr. Stan Norman. The funds come from Tekla, the Russell family, and Peg Wilcutt, Kevin Wilcutt’s widow.

The garden will feature raised-bed planters for more efficient cultivation and harvesting of produce, and it is intended to add to the aesthetic appeal of the farm. It will be built on the west side of the Williams campus, near two greenhouses also funded by Tekla.

“We see it as a lasting tribute to a man that impacted our family more than we could possibly put into words,” Russell said. “He loved the concept of Williams Works, and this garden will help students understand the value of work. He knew that this program would provide opportunities for students to leave WBU with the life skills needed to succeed in whatever they attempted.”

Kevin Wilcutt, for whom the garden will be named, served over 20 years in the U.S. Marines. His time in the Marines included a stint as the pilot of Marine One, the helicopter that carries the president, during the era of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Following his military service, he worked for 25 years at Tekla Research, serving as president of the company.

The idea for the memorial garden came from Peg Wilcutt, who wanted to honor her late husband’s memory and continue her family’s support of WBU, according to Russell.

“When I think of Kevin, I think of service,” said Beth West. “He served his country honorably for over 20 years as a U.S. Marine, but more importantly, he lived with a servant’s heart. Kevin was my boss and mentor for 16 years, and I witnessed his selflessness and compassion firsthand — not as a show, but as a way of life.”

“One of Kevin’s favorite words was ethos,” Russell said. “He often talked about our company’s ethos, our high moral and ethical standards, the way we value our people and our partners. Of course what he was actually describing was his own personal ethos, the rules by which he lived. I would say that anyone that ever spent time with Kevin Wilcutt left that encounter a better person.”

Eagle Farms is a part of the Williams Works initiative at WBU. Students in Williams Works agree to work 16 hours per week during the school year, and they have their full tuition and student service fees covered. Additionally, students can apply to work full time through the summer months to earn the following year’s room and board.

“Tekla Research has been an invaluable supporter of Williams Works from the very start of the initiative,” Norman said. “Dave Russell, Beth West and their company are wonderful advocates for Williams Baptist University, and they are cherished friends to me personally. We are delighted that they would honor the memory of Kevin Wilcutt in such a meaningful way on our campus.”

Work has begun on the site for the Kevin Wilcutt Memorial Garden, with completion expected in coming months.